Thrills and Heartbreak: A high-stakes weekend of rugby union and the NRLW showdowns

The road to Rugby World Cup qualification for Manu Sāmoa has become increasingly difficult after their 29-13 defeat to the USA Eagles in their Pacific Nations Cup match early on Monday in Denver, Colorado.

After their promising performance against Fiji, the loss raises new questions about the team’s future.

Sāmoa’s centre, Melani Nanai, shone for his team, scoring their only try of the game in the 64th minute, which gave them a brief lead. But the Eagles responded with a powerful performance that defined the match.

The victory marks the Eagles’ return to rugby’s biggest stage after missing the 2023 World Cup in France.

For Manu Sāmoa, the defeat puts added pressure on head coach Lemalu Tusi Pisi, who is still seeking his first win. The Manu now faces the challenge of competing in the remaining qualification tournaments, particularly with their campaign largely self-funded.

Sāmoa must quickly regroup for a play-off against Chile this Saturday in Salt Lake City. Should they fall short, their final chance to qualify will come in November at the repechage tournament in Dubai.

Manu Sāmoa centre, Melani Nanai. Photo/Pacific Nations Cup/Facebook

In other Pacific Nations Cup results, Japan eliminated ‘Ikale Tahi Tonga from the semi-finals with a dominating 62-24 performance and secured their place in this year's final against defending champions Fiji, who defeated Canada 63-10.

‘Ikale Tahi captain Ben Tameifuna shared his frustrations with the Tongans’ performance.

“Just really disappointed, you know, we’ve worked pretty hard the last couple of weeks, came here a week early to adapt… I felt we got points in the first half, we just didn’t build on it in the second half.”

A successful season for the Wāhine Toa

The Women’s Warriors closed out their 2025 campaign on a high note, hammering the Wests Tigers 44-6 in their NRL Women’s match at Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.

The result not only marked their biggest victory in club history but also highlighted the admirable strides the women Warriors have made since returning to the competition.

Head coach Ron Griffiths reflected on the significance of the occasion, knowing it would be the last time this group would play together.

“We’d spoken a few weeks ago about how this will be the last time they’ll be together, and what they did today really honoured who we are as a team first and foremost,” Griffiths told reporters.

Laishon Jones, who has faced scrutiny over her place in the squad, silenced her critics by scoring the opening two tries off powerful hit-ups and playing a hand in several set-piece moves. She finished with a team-high of 63 fantasy points, a fitting reward for her season-ending performance.

The eight tries to one result underscores the potential of this women’s side. While their 2025 season has ended, the future of the New Zealand club looks promising.

Apii Nicholls leads the Warriors out. Photo/David Neilson/Photosport.

Despite facing challenges, including the absence of number seven Emily Curtain, and winger Michaela Brake due to pregnancy, the Warriors showed resilience throughout the season.

Griffiths says the challenges are part of their growth. “What it’s shown us is how close we actually are, but adversity has the ability to show what characters the teams got… and it probably reinforces what we’ve spoken about at some stage, this NRLW team and what they’re building over there will turn into a juggernaut.”

With four wins, a mix of youthful talent and experienced players, and signs of a strong culture taking root, the Wāhine Toa have laid a solid foundation for an exciting future.

In other NRLW news, the finals are set to begin. The first elimination final will see the third-placed Newcastle Knights hosting the Gold Coast Titans at McDonald Jones Stadium, kicking off at 4.30pm on Saturday.

Later on the fourth-placed North Queensland Cowboys will host last year’s grand finalists, the Cronulla Sharks at Queensland Country Bank Stadium at 6.15pm. The Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos will have the week off as they await their opponents. Click here for more fixtures.

Narrow margins in The Rugby Championship standings

The race for the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship is heating up, with all four nations locked on two wins and two losses apiece.

The Wallabies currently lead the standings, separated only by bonus points, in what fans are calling the most competitive season seen in years.

Argentina reignited their campaign with a narrow 28-26 victory over Australia, avenging last week’s defeat. Fly-half Santiago Carreras was the difference, contributing 23 points from the boot.

Meanwhile, world champions South Africa surged into second place after a dominating performance in Wellington, dismantling an unresponsive All Blacks side 43-10. For New Zealand, the lack of trademark intensity in the Black jersey have left fans in shock.

Round five promises more entertainment, with the All Blacks set to meet a thriving Wallabies outfit at Eden Park on Saturday, in a battle for the Bledisloe Cup. Kick-off is at 5.05pm. The following day, South Africa will host Argentina at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium. Kick-off 4.10am.